ABANDOMING DOMA

By Dave Robbins

Since the beginning, Americans have overwhelmingly voted against same-sex marriage. And why not? Traditional marriage is the very foundation of our society. Yet, President Obama seems determined to ignore the majority and push the gay agenda. However, with the decision to not defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), he may have gone too far. The president knows the Bible clearly defines marriage as between a man and a woman, but he has chosen to blatantly oppose God and the Bible! What are the biblical consequences for such an act?

DOMA

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996. DOMA passed the US House on July 12, 1996, by an overwhelming vote of 342-67. It then breezed through the US Senate, 58-14, on September 10, 1996. The Defense of Marriage Act states the following:

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The definition of marriage is between one man and one woman as husband and wife and the word “spouse” refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.

No state possessed by the United States, shall be required to respect a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered valid in another state.

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As of December 31, 2003, the Federal Law DOMA reserved a total of 1,138 federal statutory provisions, classified to the United States Code for those individuals in a traditional marriage between a man and a woman. For example, under DOMA, same-sex couples cannot receive these benefits, rights, and privileges (i.e. health, social security and death benefits etc.) from their partners.

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Congress was forced to pass DOMA because it recognized that Hawaii was about to legalize same-sex marriage. The congressional concern was the adverse effect the legalization of same-sex marriage in one state would have on the other 49 states, forcing them to recognize same-sex marriage under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution.

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Having to pass a law in America to protect the definition of marriage between a man and a woman seems absurd. Yet, if not for DOMA, all 50 states could have been required to recognize same-sex marriages even though they had been performed in another state!

President orders attorney general to not defend DOMA

Two different lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of DOMA are presently in the courts. On February 23, 2011, President Obama told Attorney General Eric Holder that his administration would no longer defend DOMA, which defines marriage as only between a man and a woman, proclaiming that it is unconstitutional.

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Why should Obama’s decision, not to defend DOMA, shock anyone? This was not an arbitrary decision. History clearly shows that the president has opposed the federal law ever since it was signed by Clinton in 1996.

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When Obama ran for the US Senate in 2004, he wrote a letter to Chicago’s Windy City Times vowing, “For the record, I opposed DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) in 1996. It should be repealed, and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor. I will also oppose any proposal to amend the US Constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying. This is an effort to demonize people for political advantage, and should be resisted…”

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November 10, 2007 – At that time, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama stated, “I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples – whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. Unlike Senator [Hillary] Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a position I have held since before arriving in the US Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does.”

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August 17, 2008 – At the now famous presidential debate hosted by Pastor Rick Warren, Candidate Obama was asked to define marriage. He gave the politically correct answer that marriage was between one man and one woman. In the next breath, however, he said that he did favor civil unions. He previously had sent letters of congratulation to same-sex couples that had married during the short time it was legal in California. He opposed California’s Proposition 8, which made same-sex marriage illegal. Obama was obviously not telling the truth when he answered that he was not for same-sex marriage.

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June 17, 2009 – President Obama issued the Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination for Same-Sex Partners: “This presidential memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my administration is not authorized by existing federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That’s why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with States’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it.”

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It appears that President Obama is not only trying to challenge the definition of marriage between a man and a woman, but is also attempting to push same-sex relationships upon America. He seemed to suggest recently that the legalization of gay marriage was inevitable by stating, “The one thing I will say today, is I think it’s pretty clear where the trend lines are going.” He also said that his, “…attitude toward gay marriage is evolving.”

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With the decision not to defend God’s definition of marriage, President Obama is throwing the Bible under the bus and removing the blessings of God from this nation. He is arrogantly exalting his opinion above God’s clearly expressed definition of marriage. It is not just the unconstitutionality of his decision that is in question, but, more importantly, the biblical ramifications of it.

America is against same-sex marriage

The gay rights movement has spent millions of dollars on biased polls in an effort to prove that the majority of Americans accept gay marriage. However, Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), set the record straight when he said, “The only poll that counts is a free and fair vote on the part of the people.” An overwhelming majority of American voters believe marriage should be between a man and a woman and have voted against same-sex marriage every time to prove it.

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Brown, whose group is a prominent anti-gay-marriage group, noted that, “The people of this country have not changed their opinion about marriage. All 31 states that have put same-sex marriage on the ballot, voted to ban it.”

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Brown said, “Supporters of redefining marriage are looking (at) any place they can gain ground.” This includes going around voters and working with the courts. He added, “But public opinion is very clear, the people just don’t want same-sex marriage.”

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Only the courts have approved same-sex marriage legislation in the states, never the voters.

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In 1993, the Supreme Court of Hawaii ruled that it was unconstitutional discrimination to deny a marriage license to three homosexual couples on the basis of sex — not sexual orientation — unless the state could show a compelling reason why. This, along with other lawsuits, eventually led to the signing of DOMA. Consequently, in 1998, Hawaii voters rejected the legalization of same-sex marriages.

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On May 15, 2008, the Supreme Court of California voted 4 to 3, that the state Constitution protects the “right to marry” and that this includes same-sex couples. The opposition quickly mobilized and launched a campaign, asking voters to ban same-sex marriages and Proposition 8 passed on Nov. 4, 2008.

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In 2009, Maine approved a bill allowing gay marriage. But, when voters got a chance to cast their ballot in November, same-sex marriage was rejected.

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In December 2009, after more than a year of lobbying by gay rights organizations, the New York State Senate voted down a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. This was after those same groups had funneled close to one million into New York legislative races trying to gain support for their agenda.

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In November 2010, three Iowa judges were voted out of office because of their unanimous decision to legalize same-sex marriages.

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Americans have always used their vote as a voice to declare the type of society they want to live in. The majority has spoken for over two hundred years that it clearly does not want same-sex marriage. However, the system has become marred. We have judges that will reject the will of seven million voters in California and say yes to same-sex marriage. We also have a president that will look at a federal law, defining marriage as between one man and one woman, and say, “I will not defend that.”

Obama’s not so hidden agenda

“You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman.”

These astounding words were spoken by President Obama at the annual Human Rights Council on October 10, 2009. The Human Rights Council is an organization established to promote Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender relationships. These words clearly express Obama’s goal of forcing Americans to accept perversion and same-sex marriage as totally normal.

How does the Bible define marriage?

Genesis 2:18-24 records the first account of marriage in all human history:

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“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him…And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

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Jesus reaffirmed that marriage is between a man and a woman in Matthew 19:4-6:

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“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

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It is clear to see that God intended for marriage to be between a man and a woman. God even gives us principles, on which to build a successful marriage in Ephesians 5:22-33:

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“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

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A godly marriage will have God at the helm, giving direction to the man, which in turn leads the woman. God designed this from the very beginning, and he has never changed.

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The Bible, in no way allows for or embraces any union other than marriage between a man and woman, but the gay community screams the opposite. Which is right?

What the Bible says about homosexuality

The first chapter of the book of Genesis states that God made male and female and said, “It is very good.”

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It has always been of utmost importance to God that there should be a clear distinction between male and female. In Deuteronomy 22:5, God stated, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.” God indicates that cross-dressing or the confusion in the roles of male and female in any form is an abomination to Him.

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God told Moses in Leviticus 18:22, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination.” God was clearly letting Moses know that a homosexual act was an abomination.

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God actually forbade same-sex marriage in Leviticus 20:13 saying, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.” God did not refer to homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle, but declared it an abomination!

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Genesis chapter 19 is the story of Lot, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Because of Sodom and Gomorrah’s moral sins, God told Abraham that he would destroy both cities. God sent two angels into Sodom to retrieve Lot beforehand. As the angels arrived at Lot’s house, the men of the city came and tried to force Lot to hand over the strangers so they could have homosexual relations with them. The angels had to smite the men with blindness in order to escape. In verse 24, God rained fire and brimstone down on Sodom and Gomorrah. From this time on, the sin of homosexuality became known as sodomy.

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Two thousand years later in the Bible, the sin of sodomy was still being referred to as an example of God’s hatred of moral perversion. Jude 1:7 states, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

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The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians describing those who would not be saved: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NKJV).

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God said that his wrath would come upon people, and they would become homosexuals, who did not receive a love for the truth, neither were they thankful. His judgments are found in Romans 1:26-28, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

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The book of Luke refers back to Lot stating, “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” This lets us know that the homosexual community will become more emboldened just before the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Why has America declined so rapidly?

The Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were all based on biblical principles. Our forefathers knew that, in order to have the blessings of God upon our land, we would have to operate as “One nation under God.” Consequently, over our first 184 years, America became the most blessed nation on earth.

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Around 1960, men decided they could run the country better than God. This has resulted in the gradual removal of God from society. Laws have been passed that conflict with biblical teaching, and prayer has been removed from public schools. Humanistic teachings have replaced Judeo-Christian values in our schools and universities. The liberal media has pounded away against traditional values and has promoted a society of promiscuity and Hollywood morals. The Ten Commandments, upon which American law was based, has now been banished from public life by ultra-liberal judges. In short, America’s value system has been turned upside down.

What can we do?

Looking back over the history of this great nation, it should be easy to see what is needed. America must have a spiritual revival. This can be achieved in a few simple steps:

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America needs to go back to church (only approximately 20% attend weekly).

We need to become a prayerful nation, not one that will rule the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional.

Preachers need to preach the Bible without compromise.

Courts should allow prayer back into the schools.

Congress needs to reinstitute the Bible as the standard on which we base our laws and stop relying on Hollywood to set our moral compass.

We should revise our textbooks to adhere to biblical teachings, such as creation… not evolution.

Each of us should vote to elect politicians based on their Christian character and biblical positions on issues.

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America is at an historic crossroads right now. Will we meekly submit to President Obama’s pro-gay, anti-God agenda? Will Congress stand idly by while the sacredness of marriage, which has been respected since the beginning of mankind, is sacrificed on the altar of sodomy and perversion?

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Or will there be a champion in our Congress that steps forward to defend the sacred institution of marriage as ordained by Almighty God? Will any member of Congress look President Obama in the eye and say, “This is the United States of America? It was founded as a Christian nation. We are one nation, under God, and we are going to stay that way.”